Sh#t Sat Nav, Hairpins and Italian Villages

Bustup15

Bustup15

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Dethleffs I 7820-2
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Had a right one today. Left Milan and came over the tops heading south. 6km from destination sat nav indicates a very sharp right hand down a narrow village 'lane'.

I jokingly commented, 'hope this isn't an ever narrowing road with overhanging balconies'.

Well it was!

180 degree hairpins on a single track that I had to have 2 goes at to get round. Overhanging balconies at our roof level. Road narrows to the point where tarmac gave way to 2 rows of tiles on the wheel lines followed by a balcony at low level where I had no chance of passing it.

No where to turn so a 2 mile reverse back to the main road. Hairpins were interesting to say the least especially with a drop into a valley if you get it wrong!

Got within a few hundred yards of the junction and concentrating on missing a balcony on the off side caught the drivers mirror on a protruding wall 😳 fortunately going so slow it pushed it back on the spring and didn't break!

Finally made it back to the main road with 2 frustrated locals following me back and no way for them to pass as I reversed 😤.

Continued on the diversion adding 26km to journey, got to within 2km of destination, sat nav indicates left turn and its closed off by barriers with road works 👷- no diversions signposted and sat nav then gives a 40km to destination 😢.

At this point gave up and headed for the nearest town with any form of parking on SFS.

A beer or 10 is called for tonight!
 
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Nightmare when something like that happens. You did the right thing though, call it a day and while your drinking those beers you can do a bit of researching on your route for tomorrow.
 
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We've all been there and feel you pain.

On the upside, the beer afterwards does help

Tomorrow's another day :rofl: It's why we buy these things 😀

Edit : out of interest, what sat nav were you using ? My Google maps has a likeing for drainage ditches

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We’ve all had those days. I still break out in a sweat thinking about our sat nav mis-guiding us to the centre of old Marseille.
 
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It happens often through no fault of your own, we had it in France earlier this year, following SatNav and saw our destination 200m to our left Sat saying turn next left only road closed so had to turn right, 7 miles later we got to destination and we didn’t actually do anything wrong but frustrating.
 
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I am getting anxious just reading about this . I would be panicking if this happened to me . Well done for getting safely out of that situation! 👍
 
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Bustup15 said:
Had a right one today. Left Milan and came over the tops heading south. 6km from destination sat nav indicates a very sharp right hand down a narrow village 'lane'.

I jokingly commented, 'hope this isn't an ever narrowing road with overhanging balconies'.

Well it was!

180 degree hairpins on a single track that I had to have 2 goes at to get round. Overhanging balconies at our roof level. Road narrows to the point where tarmac gave way to 2 rows of tiles on the wheel lines followed by a balcony at low level where I had no chance of passing it.

No where to turn so a 2 mile reverse back to the main road. Hairpins were interesting to say the least especially with a drop into a valley if you get it wrong!

Got within a few hundred yards of the junction and concentrating on missing a balcony on the off side caught the drivers mirror on a protruding wall 😳 fortunately going so slow it pushed it back on the spring and didn't break!

Finally made it back to the main road with 2 frustrated locals following me back and no way for them to pass as I reversed 😤.

Continued on the diversion adding 26km to journey, got to within 2km of destination, sat nav indicates left turn and its closed off by barriers with road works 👷- no diversions signposted and sat nav then gives a 40km to destination 😢.

At this point gave up and headed for the nearest town with any form of parking on SFS.

A beer or 10 is called for tonight!
Click to expand...

We did nearly 6 weeks in Italy June and July this year and believe me you have got plenty more of that to come. (y) :giggle:
 
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Google maps sent me to a Stelleplatz that was up a muddy narrow dirt track to an abandoned farm Getting back out was not easy , the farm had never been a Stelleplatz and the correct place was 2 miles away ?????????

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Been there, done that in Italy. We always plot and follow routes using paper maps as it is much easier to see unsuitable roads. However, that last bit to the campsite, we need satnav. That’s when it all goes wrong !
 
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Jimbohorlicks said:
Best to get your maps out or at least reconfigure your sat nav to a lorry. (y)
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My thoughts too Jim.

Since we got shot of our TomTom 720, and used Sat Navs with designated Truck files, we've not experienced bum clenching moments since.

Bustup15. if you can't successfully reconfigure your Sat Nav for large vehicle dimensions, download Magic Earth on to your mobile or tablet, and set it up for a Truck, then add your dimensions. Having used it in anger, I trust that when driving a 44 Tonne Artic, more than I would Google Maps. (y)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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Riverbankannie said:
Been there, done that in Italy. We always plot and follow routes using paper maps as it is much easier to see unsuitable roads. However, that last bit to the campsite, we need satnav. That’s when it all goes wrong !
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Showing my ignorance here but why are paper maps easier to see unsuitable roads?

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Bustup15 said:
It is configured for 7.5 tons 9 metres long 🤷‍♂️
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But do your maps contain the "all important" .ftr Truck files? It's those files which keep you safely on routes, within your vehicle parameters. The only time you'd find yourself on what you might consider to be an unsuitable route using the maps with .ftr files, would be if there was no other suitable route, eg, the same route the refuse truck or local bus would have to take.

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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Lenny HB said:
Width of the road more obvious, we don't use paper maps but use Autoroute on a PC with similar results.
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I used to do my route planning with MS Autoroute when it was in it's heyday Lenny, but it is so out of date now. I now use Google maps for destination coordinates and street view, allowing my Truck Sat Nav to then choose the most suitable route. I do check it's chosen route, and if i know a better one, I'll enter coordinates as waypoints, taking me the way I want to go. (y)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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JockandRita said:
I used to do my route planning with MS Autoroute when it was in it's heyday Lenny, but it is so out of date now. I now use Google maps for destination coordinates and street view, allowing my Truck Sat Nav to then choose the most suitable route. I do check it's chosen route, and if i know a better one, I'll enter coordinates as waypoints, taking me the way I want to go. (y)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
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I use a mixture shame you can't update the maps in autoroute.
We have a Bluetooth GPS reciver so we can track our route on Autoroute. Also still useful for road widths as its the old ones that are narrow.

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Bustup15 said:
It is configured for 7.5 tons 9 metres long 🤷‍♂️
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Your maps are probably out of date and as said have to contain the correct lorry signatures, but you still have to configure the sat nav correctly. But they are not always the best route planners.
 
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Jimbohorlicks said:
Your maps are probably out of date and as said have to contain the correct lorry signatures, but you still have to configure the sat nav correctly. But they are not always the best route planners.
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Maps are up to date.

As I configured it to size and it often flags up entering an area designated NOT for trucks and it highlights bridges UNDER 3.0 metres then I have assumed it to have the correct files.

How would I check?
 
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Lenny HB said:
shame you can't update the maps in autoroute.
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Is it MS Autoroute you are using, or some other software Lenny? As far I was aware, MS Autoroute has been discontinued.

Cheers,

Jock. :)

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Bustup15 said:
As I configured it to size and it often flags up entering an area designated NOT for trucks and it highlights bridges UNDER 3.0 metres then I have assumed it to have the correct files.
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It certainly sounds like you have the right files. Edited...............However saying that, if it does have the correct files, it shouldn't have routed you the way it did, which was clearly not suitable. :(

Bustup15 said:
How would I check?
Click to expand...
Connecting your unit to a PC, then checking content, then maps, should/could show what files are present.

The maps folder alone, which Jimbohorlicks and I use has 6 x files for most countries, one of which is .ftr .

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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JockandRita said:
It certainly sounds like you have the right files.


Connecting your unit to a PC, then checking content, then maps, should/could showwhat files are present.

The maps folder alone, which Jimbohorlicks and I use have 6 x files for most countries, one of which is .ftr .

Cheers,

Jock. :)
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Thanks Jock

Don't have my laptop with me but will check once I'm back home (if I still have side panels and a roof) :rolleyes:
 
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Lenny HB said:
Yep MS Autoroute 2013 the last version so maps are 2012 but it still works well on a Win 10 pc.
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Yep, that's my last version too Lenny, but compared to Google Maps it is so out of date for info. Google Street View is usually only 2-3 years old, allowing you to recognise landmarks you viewed when route planning. ;)

Both Google Maps (great for info), and Magic Earth, (great for navigation, including large MHs), are absolutely free to use/download. (y)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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monzer said:
Showing my ignorance here but why are paper maps easier to see unsuitable roads?
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Because when you set directions in google or in satnav, you get a strong blue or purple line which hides the width coding underneath.
A map, you can see major roads, green, yellow, white etc and also see where you should take direction turnings without using shorter cut throughs.
I mark a route on the map with highlighter pen, yes we do put sat nav on, but if it says turn left in 300 yrds/metres, I can look at our position on my marked maps and say “yes” or “no, stay on until major junction at roundabout”.
 
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